This invention relates to massage tables, and, in particular, to a roller mechanism for the table which will follow the curve of a patient's back and keep a substantially constant pressure applied to the patient's back.
Massage tables are often used by chiropractors to administer massages to patients. The tables typically include a cushion upon which the patient lies. A roller is provided beneath the cushion which will exert pressure against the patient's back. Typically, the roller is mounted on a frame which slides along the table beneath the cushion, so that the roller can be moved beneath the patient to massage the patient's back.
To provide a more even massage the roller preferably follows the curvature of the patient's back. The roller has, heretofore, been placed in a curved frame or slide which approximates the curve of a patient's back. The roller, when moved beneath the table, will then move along the curve defined by the slide, to apply pressure to the patient's back. However, not all backs are the same and the curvature of patients' backs may vary a great deal. The roller may thus apply too much pressure at certain points for some patients, and apply too little pressure for others. The use of the curved frame provides a satisfactory massage to only about half of the patients which receive massages. The remainder of the patients find the massage uncomfortable and of little benefit.